5:30pm
After Ese embraced Christopher, a wave of vibrant energy surged through his sisters, one by one. It was as if a dormant power had been awakened within them, a spark rekindled after years of slumber. The colors of their magic manifested in their eyes, swirling like iridescent eddies around their bodies. Ese shone with verdant green, Onome radiated deep purple, and Ehogsa pulsed with delicate pink.
"Finally!" Ese exclaimed, her voice echoing with a long-awaited joy. "It's been so long!"
With a shout of triumph, she unleashed a wave of green magic that washed through the house. The effects were immediate and astonishing. Objects began to animate, imbued with a life of their own. Brooms started sweeping the floors with rhythmic precision, vegetables chopped themselves with uncanny speed and accuracy, stoves ignited with a gentle whoosh of flame, and ingredients began to combine and simmer, preparing a celebratory meal without human intervention.
Ese called out, walking towards the bedrooms. "Go get ready! We're having a feast to celebrate our brother's return!" She glanced at Christopher, her eyes filled with emotions that were unreadable.
Ehogsa gave Christopher a gentle, knowing look. "Go rest, Christopher. You've been through so much. I'll meet you in your room."
Christopher nodded, a mix of exhaustion and bewildered gratitude washing over him. He turned and walked towards his childhood bedroom. The house felt different now, alive with magic he hadn't sensed before, yet somehow also eerily familiar.
He pushed open the door to his room, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him. Nothing had changed. The magic that permeated the house had also preserved this space, keeping it suspended in time. The posters of his favorite heroes hid dad brought from Britain still adorned the walls, the books he had devoured as a child lined the shelves, and the worn rug lay exactly where he remembered it. It was a poignant reminder of the life he had lost, and a symbol of hope for the future he might now reclaim.
His gaze landed on a small, faded ragdoll tucked away on a shelf. It was a simple creation, sewn from scraps of colorful fabric, with button eyes and a hand-stitched smile. It was his ragdoll. A tangible symbol of a loving mother. A rush of emotions, both bittersweet and comforting, surged through him.
He reached out and picked up the doll, his fingers tracing the worn fabric. As he touched it, a memory flooded his mind, vivid and clear:
It was raining, a torrential downpour that rattled the windows and shook the house. Young Christopher, no more than five years old, huddled in his bed, terrified by the thunder and lightning. Each crash sent him further under the covers, tears streaming down his face.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and his mother appeared, her face a beacon of warmth and reassurance in the stormy darkness. She held out the ragdoll, its cheerful smile a stark contrast to the fear in his eyes.
"Here, Eseosa," she said, her voice soft and soothing. "Take. He'll protect you."
She gently placed the doll in his arms, then moved to light a purple candle , it was placed in a intricately carved candle holder. As the candle glowed, a soft, purple light filled the room, and the sounds of the storm seemed to fade away.
"This is a soundproof candle, my love," his mother explained. "No noise can come in or out of this room now. You're safe here, Eseosa . The storm can't touch you."
The memory faded, leaving Christopher clutching the ragdoll, tears welling in his eyes. The candle was not there, but it remained the love that remained. His mother's love had protected him then, and it somehow felt as if it was protecting him now, guiding him back to a life he thought he had lost forever.
A knock on the door snapped Christopher out of his thoughts." Eseosa open up" Ehogsa called out .
"The name is Christopher." Christopher yelled as he opened the door .
"Your father may have called you that , but mother named you Eseosa." She said as she bared the doors behind them. She brought the purple candle from underneath her dress and she put her finger on her lips signally Christopher to be quite. She gentle placed the candle on the table and calmly whispered.
"Ęren" (fire).
Then the candle lit up, it's purple flames illuminating the room.
Ehogsa took a breath in ." Now we can talk without being monitored." Why Eseosa ?, why ? You know Ese will kill your now that you've returned her magic back to her by breaking the curse." Ehogsa said with tension in her voice.
Christopher put his hands on her shoulder to calm her down saying."That's why mum linked our lives so if she kills me she dies and-" .
"Don't you think she's found a spell to unlink your lives. We've spent one hundred and six years in here with a lot of grimoires don't you think she has a spell already." Ehogsa cut in , interrupting Christopher's sentence.
"Listen Ehogsa, for me to come here you should know how serious this is. I'm talking about world ending shit that our immortality can't save us from ." Christopher siad as he sat on the bed.
"Wait, what? What do you mean world ending?" Ehogsa asked as she sat with him on the bed.
"Listen before Ese suspects, all I can tell you is Ese has hidden the obsidian codex somewhere in this house and if will don't find it.." he didn't finish he sentence but Ehogsa already knew what would happen.
_______________
The dining room, once a relic of a bygone era, now shimmered with a modern elegance thanks to Ese's magic. The sisters, dressed in gowns that echoed their magical auras, sat around a long, mahogany table laden with a feast that defied explanation. Christopher, feeling strangely out of place in his simple clothes, watched them with a mixture of awe and trepidation.
Ese, her green eyes sparkling, rose her glass. "A toast," she announced, her voice laced with playful sarcasm, "to our brother, who abandoned us and has decided to grace us with his presence after 160 years. Why, Eseosa?" She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. "Is it because you missed us so much?"
Christopher chuckled, a warm, genuine sound that filled the room. "Ehogsa and Onome, sure," he said, gesturing towards his other sisters. "But I definitely didn't miss you, Ese."
Ese playfully narrowed her eyes. "So, brother dear, are you still suffering from your... affliction?"
Christopher laughed, throwing his head back. "Oh, you mean my homosexuality? It's more common than you think, Ese. If I wasn't stuck with this whole immortality gig, I probably would have found a good man to get married to by now. But," he sighed dramatically, "immortality is a bitch. I'd probably outlive any husband I wed, so I'd rather not bother with it."
Ese raised an eyebrow. "You could just de-immortalize yourself, you know."
Christopher's smile faded slightly, his expression becoming unexpectedly serious. "I know," he said calmly, tracing the rim of his glass. "But my immortality is the only thing from our mother that I have left. I can't just give it up."
"Even though you have immortality, Ese persisted, "you don't have magic so How did you even survive out there in the world all this time?"
Christopher shrugged, his carefree demeanor returning. "If you hadn't been trapped in this house for so long, you would have known the world has evolved. It's easier to survive now, even without magic." As he said this, his phone buzzed loudly on the table. He picked it up, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "Speaking of evolved, this is a prime example."
His sisters exchanged surprised glances, except for Onome, who maintained a carefully neutral expression.
Ehogsa ever curious, leaned forward. "Can I see it? Can I have it?"
Christopher laughed, shaking his head. "I'll get you a new one, Ehogsa . If I give you this phone, you're going to be receiving a lot of pictures and messages of naked boys."
The room erupted in laughter, the tension dissipating as the sisters teased each other good naturedly. Christopher basked in the warmth of their company, realizing how much he had missed this chaotic, loving family. It had been a long time, and for a moment, there were no regrets, just joy.
But beneath the surface, a shadow lingered. Christopher was all too aware that his excitement, his joy, would be fleeting if he failed his mission. He had come back for a reason, a reason that could shatter this newfound happiness in an instant.